Prostate cancer diet guidance

Email this page

Print friendly page

• Decrease fat intake to 20% of calorie intake
• Increase fruit & vegetable intake to 5 servings daily
• Increase fibre intake to 25-35 gm daily
• Take Vitamin E (880 iu) and Vitamin C (500 mg) daily
• Increase soy protein intake to 40-60 grams daily

GOAL: TO DECREASE FAT TO 20% OF CALORIE INTAKE

What is the link between fat and cancer?

Recent studies have shown that populations with low intakes of fat have a much lower incidence of prostate cancer than men in the US and the western hemisphere. For example Japanese men have nine times fewer cases of prostate cancer, until they move to the US. Once they move to the US, incidence rates increase proportionally to the rates of American men. It is thought that their low fat diet may be part of the reason for their low rates of prostate cancer.

What is fat?

Fat is a concentrated source of energy (9 calories/gram) that supports and cushions vital organs to protect them from injury. It also provides insulation, and helps prevent dryness of hair and skin. Fat is necessary to build tissues and cells and to transport nutrients. Only one tablespoon of fat per day is needed to carry out these functions in the body. In our food, fat provides flavour and adds creaminess, and helps to satisfy the appetite.

What is the goal?

Since studies have indicated that populations that have a low fat intake also have lower rates of prostate cancer, the aim is to decrease fat intake to less than 20% of total calories. Reading labels is important as they tell us how much fat a product has in each serving.

Saturated Fats
are found in animal products, palm kernal and coconut oils and are shown to raise testosterone levels.

Major food sources include: cheese, butter, red meat, poultry skin, whole milk, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, chocolate and coconut.

Monounsaturated Fats
are found in plant products and have been shonw to have a negative effect on prostate cancers.  Howvere, portion sizes still need to be monitored as the goal is to maintain a low intake of all fats.

Major food sources include: olive oil, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, avocado.

GUIDE TO LOW FAT LIVING 

• Choose skinless poultry and fish instead of red meat (beef, pork) – limit red meat as much as possible.
• Bake, broil or grill instead of frying.
• Use cooking spray, water or broth instead of oil to sauté, or dry-fry.
• Use fat-free or low-fat versions of high-fat foods (salad dressing, mayonnaise, cheese, milk, yoghurt, ice cream, sour cream etc). Reading labels is important.
• Use jam or fat free cream cheese instead of butter, margarine or regular cream cheese.
• Choose pretzels, air-popped corn, or baked crisps instead of oil-popped corn or regular crisps.

Original	Low-fat Substitute
whole milk	skim milk or soy milk
sour cream	sour cream or fat-free plain yoghurt
whipped cream	non-dairy whipped topping
oil or butter	apple sauce, baking substitute, or pureed prunes
nuts	Use a smaller portion of nuts, or 2 tablespoons wheatgerm instead
chocolate chips	reduced fat chocolate chips
whole egg	egg whites, or egg substitute
ricotta cheese	pureed silken tofu or cottage cheese
cheese	low-fat or fat-free cheese or soy cheese
mayonnaise	fat-free mayonnaise
salad dressing	fat-free salad dressing, vinegar, or lemon juice
butter or margarine	olive oil (** extra light olive oil is ideal for baking)

GOAL: TO INCREASE DAILY FRUIT & VEGETABLE INTAKE TO 5 SERVINGS

Take Vitamin E (880 iu) and Vitamin C (500 mg) daily

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins A and C, which are known as antioxidant vitamins. These scavenge our bodies for substances that can cause cell damage (free radicals) and get rid of them before they can harm cells. Fruits and vegetables also contain phytochemicals (‘phyto’ = plant in Greek). These work through many different mechanisms to inhibit tumour growth. Tomatoes have been shown to be beneficial to men with prostate cancer, as they contain a phytochemical called lycopene. This acts as a strong antioxidant, and localises in the area of the prostate. Lycopene from tomatoes is best absorbed if the product has been cooked with a minimal amount of fat (e.g. tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, or tomato juice).

Vitamin E and vitamin C are also antioxidants. Supplements are necessary because it is difficult to get the amount that we recommend in our foods every day.

One serving is equal to any of the following:

• One medium sized piece of fruit/vegetable
• ½ cup cut up fruit / vegetable (4 oz) or ½ cup fruit/vegetable juice (4 oz)
• 1 cup leafy green vegetables (8 oz)
• ¼ cup dried fruit/vegetable (2 oz)

Ways to increase fruit and vegetable intake:

• Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks – keep them readily available and easily accessible
• Make a trail mix with dried fruits and fat-free muesli
• Top hot or cold cereals with banana slices, blueberries, strawberries, raisins, or any other fruit of your choice
• Blend fresh or dried fruits into fat-free plain or vanilla yoghurt
• Drink juice with breakfast
• Mix up a fruit smoothie with skim or soy milk, fat-free yoghurt, or silken tofu, fruit juice, fruits of your choice, and ice.

• Tomatoes
• Oranges
• Broccoli
• Kiwi fruit
• Bell peppers
• Romaine lettuce
• Mangoes
• Spinach
• Apricots
• Melons
• Grapefruit
• Strawberries

GOAL: INCREASE DAILY FIBRE INTAKE TO 25-35gm

What is the link between fibre and cancer?

Studies indicate that men who consume a high fibre diet have significantly lower levels of testosterone when compared to those who have a low fibre intake. Prostate cancer feeds on testosterone, therefore the goal is to suppress testosterone levels as much as possible to inhibit tumour cell growth. Fibre also helps to minimise transit time through the gastrointestinal system, which allows the body to get rid of harmful carcinogens more rapidly.

The goal is to increase fibre consumption to 25-35 grams of fibre daily. Many products have the fibre content listed on the label, so reading labels is not only important for fat content, but also for fibre content.

Fibre is the term used for the indigestible substances found in plant-originated foods. There are two types of fibre:

Insoluble fibre which does not dissolve in water and promotes regularity by decreasing transit time through the gastrointestinal tract.

Soluble fibre which dissolves in water. It absorbs water, and adds bulk, making stools softer and easier to pass.

• Whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables
• Beans and legumes

Ways to increase fibre intake:

• Use 100% whole wheat bread
• Increase intake of beans and legumes
• Use dry cereals with > 4 grams of fibre per serving e.g. Raisin Brain, All Bran, Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes
• Sprinkle wheatgerm or bran on top of cereal, or incorporate into casseroles or baked products
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake

 

GRAINS	Fibre Grams	LEGUMES (1/2 cup cooked)	Fibre Grams
Popcorn (3 cups)	2.7	Black Beans	6.5
Whole wheat bread (1 slice)	1.6	Kidney beans	6.9
Brown rice (1 cup)	3.3	Pinto beans	5.9
Bulgar (1 cup)	7.8	Chickpeas	4.4
Barley (1 cup)	6.5	Lentils	5.2
Couscous	2.1	Lima beans	6.8
CEREALS	Fibre Grams	VEGETABLES (1 cup raw)	Fibre Grams
Fibre One (1/2 cup)	14	Broccoli	2.2
All Bran (1/2 cup)	10	Carrots	4.6
Bran Flakes	4	Green beans	3.5
Raisin Bran	4	Lettuce	0.5
Fruit & Fibre	4	Spinach	1.5
		Tomatoes	1.4
		Cabbage	1.5
FRUITS	Fibre Grams	STARCHY VEG ( ½ cup cooked)	Fibre Grams
Apple with skin	2.8	Peas	4.3
Banana	2.2	Corn	3.0
Orange	2.9	Potato, baked	1.6
Pear with skin	5.8	Squash, summer	1.5
Prunes (3)	1.6	Squash, winter	2.9
Strawberries	1.1	Yams	2.0

READING FOOD LABELS

Why is reading labels important?

Two major goals of this diet are to decrease fat intake and increase fibre intake. Without reading food labels, it is difficult to know how much fat or fibre is in a product. This guide should help you understand product labels.

The most important numbers on the food label are: total fat, fibre, and serving size.

Your fat budget is based on 20% of your calories coming from fat. By reading the food label, you will be able to identify foods that will fit in well with the diet regimen. Also, fibre is commonly listed on product labels, and the goal is 25-35 grams of fibre daily. Finally, if you are watching calories, then reading the serving size on the label is important. This is also important when looking at how much fat and fibre are in a product.

The following definitions may help you better understand some of the numbers on the food label:

• % Daily Value: This is a generic number that is based on a 2000 calorie diet with 65g of fat (30% of calories from fat). Your fat gram budget will be less than 65g, therefore the percent daily value listed will be inaccurate for you. For example if a product label says that it has 10% of the daily value for total fat, this would mean 7g of fat, and for you, this would translate into a higher percent daily value since your fat gram budget is less than 65g of fat. The percent daily value for fibre is accurate for you because it is based on the recommendation of 25g of fibre daily. Therefore, if a product label states that it has 10% of the daily value for fibre, then this is true for you too.
• Calories from Fat: This is always listed near the top of the label near the number of calories per serving. This number is calculated by multiplying the amount of total fat in a product (in grams) by 9. There are 9 calories per gram of fat. This lets you know what percentage of the calories is coming from fat. For example, a product may have only 60 calories, but if this product has 5g of fat, then it has 75% of calories coming from fat!

The claims that are listed on labels are regulated as follows:

Key Words	What They Mean
Fat Free	Less than 0.5g of fat per serving
Low Fat	3g of fat (or less) per serving
Lean	Less than 10g of fat, 4.5g of saturated fat, and no more than 98mg of cholesterol per serving
Light (Lite)	1/3 less calories or no more than ½ the fat of higher-calorie, higher-fat version; no more than ½ the sodium of the higher-fat version.

GOAL: INCREASE DAILY SOY PROTEIN INTAKE TO 40-60gms

What is the link between soy and cancer?

Asian diets typically average 40-60g of soy protein daily.  On the other hand, Americans consume <5g of soy protein per day.  Researchers have determined that the isoflavones (mainly genistein) found in soy block the enzymes responsible for activating growth factors that can cause tumour cells to grow.  If this action is blocked by the isoflavones in soy, then the tumour cells may not proliferate.  Isoflavones may also cut off the blood supply to the tumour cells, and without a blood supply the tumour cells cannot continue to grow.

What is a soy protein isolate?

This product is at least 90% soy protein; the most concentrated source of soy protein from the soybean.  Four scoops of powder will provide 40g of soy protein – an amount similar to that consumed in a typical Asian diet.  The soy powder (which comes flavoured or unflavoured) can easily be stirred into beverages such as milk or juice, blended into fruit smoothies, soups or puddings, or used in baked products such as muffins, pancakes or breads.  Generally, the soy-protein isolate is well-tolerated.  Soy-protein bars have also been marketed.  These muesli-style bars typically provide about 15g of soy protein per bar, and are also an easy way to incorporate soy into your diet.

What is the goal?

The goal, as mentioned above, is to increase your consumption of soy products.  One of the easiest ways to incorporate soy is with the soy protein isolate powder.

What are other soy product options?

There are many other soy products on the market aside from the soy protein isolate powder.  You are encouraged to experiment with some of these products, and incorporate them into your lifestyle as well.

The following list gives examples of other soy products, serving sizes and tips for use.  Two servings per day of any of the following soy foods can be substituted for the 40g of soy protein isolate powder.

 

Soy Product	Serving Size	Tips For Use
Tofu	Half cup	Firm: use in stir-fry dishes, soups, and on the grill Soft: use in recipes that call for blended tofu Silken: a creamy custard-like product that works best in pureed or blended dishes
Soy Milk	One cup	Pour over cereals Substitute for regular milk in pancake / waffle recipes Use in fruit smoothies
Textured Vegetable Protein	Half cup	Use to replace all or part of the mince meat in recipes
Soybeans	Half cup	1 cup dried beans becomes 2-3 cups cooked beans Green soybeans are often in the freezer section, yellow or black soybeans are in cans at natural food stores
Soy nuts	Quarter cup	Roasted soybeans can be salted, seasoned or plain Sprinkle on top of salads, or eat as a snack
Soy flour	Quarter cup	Substitute for ¼ of total flour in baked goods Toasting prior to use enhances nutty flavour (toast by putting in a dry pan and cooking over moderate heat,  stirring occasionally)
Tempeh	Half cup	Whole soybeans are mixed with rice / millet to make a soybean cake that can be marinated or grilled and added to soups, casseroles or chilli.

TIPS FOR DINING OUT

 

Following any diet guidelines can seem challenging when eating out. The tips listed here  should take the challenge out of choosing from menus.

For many people dining out is a treat and viewed as a time to splurge. This is fine occasionally, however it is important to keep your diet in mind if you eat out regularly (1-2 times per week or more).

The table below gives you an idea of the menu items to pick or pass on a restaurant menu. Most restaurants are willing to accommodate special requests, so don’t be shy in asking for items to be prepared as you would like them.